CATALOGUING DATA

DESCRIPTION:Proclamation, on 14th April 1931, of the Catalan Republic by Francesc Macià

ORIGINAL LANGUAGE:Catalan

DATE:April 14th, 1931

AUTHOR(S):Macià, Francesc

REFERENCE PERSONS:Macià, Francesc

CONTEXT:

The proclamation, on 14th April 1931, of the Catalan Republic by Francesc Macià happened after municipal elections in which Republican candidates won in the majority of cities throughout Spain and Catalonia, leading to the fall of the Bourbon monarchy and the inauguration of a democratic Republic.

ABSTRACT

With the victory of the Esquerra Republicana of Catalonia in the municipal elections of the 12th April 1931, Francesc Macià, on the 14th April, proclaimed “the Catalan Republic in the hope that the other peoples making up Spain will similarly declare their own republics and form the Iberian Confederation”. This happened shortly before the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed in Madrid. This proclamation worried the provisional Spanish government, which initiated a process of negotiation with Catalonia that culminated in the creation of a new autonomy personified by the restoration of the Generalitat of Catalonia, governed by an Autonomy Statute.

Catalans:

Interpreting the feelings and desires of the people who have just voted for us, I proclaim the Catalan Republic as a State forming part of the Iberian Federation.

In accord with the President of the Federal Spanish Republic, Señor Alcalá Zamora, with whom we have ratified the accords agreed in the pact of San Sebastian, I hereby provisionally take on the functions of President of the Government of Catalonia, awaiting the expression of the will of the Spanish and Catalan peoples.

In making this proclamation, in good faith and all hope, we beseech all of the citizens of Catalonia to join with us to ensure that it thrives, whatever this involves, even the laying down of our lives.

We entreat every Catalan, as well as every other citizen resident in Catalonia, to help us shoulder the burden of the enormous responsibility that now weighs upon us.

Consequently, anyone disturbing the order of the newly born Catalan Republic will be considered an agent-provocateur and a traitor to the nation.

We hope that you will all prove worthy of the liberty that we have claimed and the justice that, with the help of all, we intend to establish. We support our case upon immortal pillars such as the rights of men and peoples, which cannot be lost even if we die defending them.

In proclaiming our Republic, we are making our voice heard throughout Spain and the world, appealing to people everywhere to be on our side in spirit, and against the Bourbon monarchy we have deposed. We offer them all of our efforts and all the sympathies of our reborn people in affirming international peace.

For Catalonia, for our brother peoples of Spain, for the fraternity of all men and all peoples, Catalans show yourselves worthy of Catalonia.